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ALIYAH DIARIES

Olim Schools:

An Anglo Bubble or Your Ticket
Ariela Davis
to a Successful Aliyah?

on’t make Aliyah with has prepared them for. Many former self-conscious about their accent –
teenagers. It’s a constant straight-A students experience a loss because everyone else has one too.
refrain that families of identity as they sit, disoriented, Eventually, students do learn the
Dentertaining the crazy in a Hebrew-speaking classroom language – but at their own pace,
but idealistic fulfillment of their while earning grades far lower than without pressure. Many of these
Aliyah dreams hear from just about they used to. It is daunting for even
everyone. Throw young kids into the the most socially-adjusted kids to schools also make a special effort
Israeli system and they’ll be rattling break into existing social cliques to inspire a love for Israel and the
off Hebrew within a year, making fun while fearing the embarrassment of Land, helping teens understand why
of your woefully American accent making mistakes in Hebrew. While it was worth giving up the comfort of
and climbing over fences with their many teen olim adapt and succeed in their old life to embark on this new
Israeli classmates. But to uproot teens mainstream Israeli schools, others adventure.
from their friends and everything that struggle. I’ve met many students who
provides them with stability, identity lose their motivation to learn Hebrew, While most parents are initially
and comfort when they are already refuse to go to school and make plans hesitant to enroll their teens in an
struggling at that prickly age? Bad to return to their country of origin as ‘Anglo-bubble’ school, many of those
idea. soon as possible – even when living in same parents are later deeply grateful
Whether it’s due to new opportunities communities with considerable Anglo that their kids are happy and learning
to work remotely or the loss of faith in populations. again. Schools designed for olim may
the future of Jewish communities in But we’ve also seen many teens not offer the immediate integration
the Diaspora, many families are now experience incredible success at in Israeli society that we all want for
making the ‘insane’ decision to make schools designed to help them our kids, but they might just be your
Aliyah with teens. As the principal acclimate and integrate into the ticket to a successful Aliyah!
of Ulpanat Orly, a girls’ high school country at a pace that meets their
designed for olim, I speak to many such academic and social needs. At schools
families each week. like Ulpanat Orly in Beit Shemesh,
The fears of making Aliyah with teens devoted staff ease students into Ariela Davis is the Principal of Ulpanat Orly
are not groundless. Though simply learning Hebrew in an environment in Beit Shemesh and a former Rebbetzin
dropping kids into the deep end of where students can ask questions and Director of Judaics/Interim Principal in
the pool in the hopes of speeding in their own language and can Charleston, SC, from where her family made
their integration is often successful, practice their Hebrew without being Aliyah in the summer of 2020.
throwing teens into anything does not
work the same way. By nature, teens
yearn for independence and autonomy,
while moving with your family across
the ocean demands significant buy-in
and adaptability. Even if a teen is on Scan here to join
board with the move, their adolescent Ariela’s Inspiring
Divrei Torah
insecurity can make everything feel WhatsApp group
more challenging. Learning math and
science in Hebrew in order to take the
bagrut (Israel’s matriculation exams)
requires far different vocabulary and
fluency than their day-school Hebrew

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